What's your motivation for going to church?

I've been recently thinking about that... And first I want to say that I am not a defender of "not going to church" and it is not my aim to encourage anybody to remain home and not worship together with other true believers. I believe though there are exception to this rule ... but still they are rather the exception and not the rule.

So, keeping that in mind... Why do you go to church? What motivates you?

Is it God, His word? Fellowship? A preacher? To see or be seen by somebody? Out of habit? Out of religiosity?

I think even if not all of you are going answer, it is good to meditate on this. Because, I am sure, God does not want us to do the right things for all the wrong reasons. When Jesus said: "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 6:1) - I believe He was speaking of the motive, of the heart - for it is possible to be seen of others when you do something good, but that should not ever be your aim, even in your private thought!

Blessings,

I go for the small group bible study after the main service than for the service itself. I love to worship with other believers so that is my favorite part of the main service. I wish the main service was 75% worship and 25% preaching.

To offer gifts of worship and praise, for what He has already done and is doing and will do, corporately with the body of Christ. Edifying and encouraging one another, thru our testimonies of Gods grace and faithfulness. Loving one another, fellowshiping with other believers and thereby strengthening the body. Praying as a group, interceding and doing battle. Taking that which has been given in private and utilizing it to support and uphold the body of believers locally. Also, at times, to accompany an unbeliever that I’ve invited that is interested in finding out more about Jesus. Also to surround/subject my children to a godly influence corporately. And of course to hear the word being preached whereby I can check my own alignment and correct any drifting or distraction that may have occurred.

I liked the reasons Fletcher and the others have given. One reason I go to church is to prove to the backslidden, that the Lord called us not to forsake the meeting of ourselves together. In our small town there's many who once attended the churches but have fallen away from this Godly discipline. I haven't met anyone who has stopped going to church who blames the church for something but is also walking the narrow path of obedience and listening to what the Lord says to them about meeting together. I do agree the sermons can be long, as they are just a talk sometimes and not a message giving us guidance of how to follow after the Lord more fully. When I entered into a personal revival of repentance, the Lord led me out into the hills each night to pray and be with him. He revealed to me the state of the heart of the backslider and that he wouldn't open up and share his heart with them. But he didn't once tell me to forsake meeting together with believers. David.

Church is not a place to go but a fellowship to be part of. We need to unlearn this pagan concept of a temple.

Gee whiz NP.

Thank you all for the responses!

@narrowpath - Yes, I know, you are right. I just wonder sometimes, whether I am part of the local fellowship, I am in right now... because there are some differences in understanding and practice of certain doctrines which I also shared with the pastor etc. But... I don't know, I don't know where else to go... and I don't want to go through another heart break. One of my sisters was once with me in the services and her first question before the service to me was: "Do you want to stay here?" - "I hope to... Why?" was my answer. And then I asked her why did she ask in the first place - because I've changed many churches and she called that "church tourism". It's been partly very painful experience... but what else should I do?!

Therefore thinking on this subject brought me somehow to realisation - that what I do (going to church) must be for Christ. For, I do not see any other *right* motivation... (at least for me). And in doing that for Him, I believe others will be somehow blessed

I would not be quite so blunt, but narrowpath, you have a good point. I have noticed that, especially in America, church is a place or event that we go. Too often we pay church staff to create programs and ministries to meet what we perceive to be the spiritual needs of ourselves and our children. We then attend the event that was planned for us and draw out of it what we need and what we paid for. It really puts the church into a business model.

I think we need to realize that we as the body of Christ ARE the church. We might build a building to facilitate our getting together. We might meet in homes. But whenever we get together for any reason, the church has come together. Sat. evening, I will pitch horseshoes, eat soup or chili, and sit around a fire with the church. We will encourage one another, form deeper relationships, become a deeper part of one another's lives, and fulfill scripture that says to forsake not the gathering of yourselves together....

Sunday, we will meet again in our building and teach, preach, pray, sing, worship together.

But we must realize that we are the church. We are responsible for ministry to one another. We are responsible to contribute to the body of Christ as the Holy Spirit anoints and gifts us.

Everyone knows that but the OP was asking why we go to church. I think we should give a little grace w/o getting nit picky. The fact of the matter is that the great great majority of Christian folks go to church. The Bible expects us to go to church (gather together). You have to gather somewhere. And while playing dominoes with other believers could technically be called a church gathering, we all know what the OP meant.

Esther,
We,..a small group of people, meet to be encouraged and to encourage each other in The Lord.

Sometimes we meet in my home, sometimes in others.
We call it coming together to break Bread.

Usually someone will bring up something that they have on their heart,..thoughts,....studied about the The Word.
Then, whoever has thoughts can share in that Bread,....we break it together.

Sometimes one or two brothers will play guitar, and we sing,...that comes out of the heart of someone.

We Usually bring a dish of food,and have it together.

Was it Jesus that said, 'where two or three are gathered together in my Name, there I will be in the midst' ?

🙏

--------------------

elizabeth

by TakeUptheCross
So, keeping that in mind... Why do you go to church? What motivates you?

I sit there quietly and I admit that sometimes I get a tad bit aggravated at the things I hear the pastor say but I really like the majority of what he has to say, he makes me think. I figure I'm there to learn something, so I go with my notepad and (Bible on phone) and listen. :)

God bless,
Lisa

Hi- I recently started attending church again, I am also reaching out to others in my area of Scotland. In the business world it would be called networking I suppose, so I have started networking with people who are praying for God to move in the nation and attending the prayer meetings. I also attend a tiny church in a small village called Portgordon.

There was a move of God was in the 1860's if your interested in reading here is a link

https://ukwells.org/wells/portgordon

Praying for the church and the nation has changed my heart towards the church, yes the church is dead, but there are those that are hearing the voice of God.

The statement/question Gods asked to me years back was

1. The church is dead
2. Rise up you and all this people
3. God speaks in the middle of death (Moses was dead but God spoke)
4. Then the question "are you hearing his voice"
5. The church should enter into his rest

Joshua 1:2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them.

1 Chronicles 16:29 says, "Give to the LORD the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his presence. Worship the LORD in all his holy splendor.” It tells us that the church should worship. Matthew 28:20 says, "…teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” It tells us that the church should teach. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, "Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another.” It tells us that the church should fellowship. Mark 16:15 says, "He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” It tells us that the church should evangelize

Exactly what Greg said. I agree wholeheartedly.

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.(Acts 2:42)

Well said brother Greg. My story is one of many perspectives on the matter of the assembly of the body of Messiah. In my view, motive is a matter of the heart as we know from our personal experiences, testimonies (that is, how we encountered the LORD), cultural backgrounds and the world around us. We assemble to be fed, encouraged, edified (1 Corinthians 14), reproved, etc. It is more than a social club (I've been in a "church" that functioned more as a social club of do-gooders than a congregation of worshippers). There may be activities that provide social interaction (a God-given human characteristic) which we call "fellowship" that is modeled on the 2 great commandments that Yeshua taught (Matthew 22; Leviticus 19) but even that is a form of worship. I am familiar with denominational distinctions and various liturgical forms...I'd rather not argue on those relatively minor matters but only when it comes to the God that we worship. If the congregation is not in agreement on the essential matters of doctrine (the Gospel) then that would be a dealbreaker - unless the LORD called me to deliver a message to that congregation or person.

Prayerfully consider the following:
- the church (ecclesia or body of Messiah) functions as a witness to the world about the power, might, grace and peace of God's presence in His people. Again, it's more about people than a place (location, building)
- our brothers and sisters across the world are loving our LORD with all their hearts, mind and strength by the power of the Holy Spirit in the midst of persecution. As members of the body of Messiah, please keep them in your prayers especially during these last days.
- technology has afforded us a way to engage with other believers such that the global ecclesia is more realized (in tangible ways) to the unbeliever, the "unreached", the backslidden, the lost all for the glory of God. Know that many lost souls are being reached through digital technology. I have been supporting Bible Project and other ministries with outreach across the globe and especially in Israel. Please pray for these ministries.
- I have been at several congregations or gatherings that only the LORD could have done it because there was no way humanly possible that I could have made a way for myself. I met brothers and sisters who have a hunger that only the LORD can satisfy. In general, a smaller congregations seem to foster that environment of worship and fellowship. However...
- I am not opposed (or look down upon) brothers and sisters at megachurches. This is controversial I know but I belonged to a centuries old "mega church" and Moses lead a congregation of a couple million. It's the LORD who does a work in us and eventually something that started as a trickle (a bit of knowledge, scripture) can turn into a river flowing into a deep cistern. I "knew about" the LORD at the big church and even studied theology (but not bible centered) then in 2020 "boom" the flood gates opened after I started reading His Word ***DAILY*** and the Holy Spirit continues to do a mighty work in me. Hallelujah! Pray that all our brothers and sisters return to His Word (like Josiah, Hilkiah, and Huldah did for Israel) and become brighter lights to the world before the return of our King and LORD Yeshua. Maranatha!

God bless you all and this ministry.

-AJM

Prayer, Praise and worship, the Word.
When believers are gathered together in the name of Jesus in unity, the presence of Gods is there.

I go out of duty.

The best and correct answers have already been given. I know what it is to be in genuinely anointed worship services with powerful, soul winning preaching, but these memories grow fainter with each passing year. I know that such still exists, and have friends who are mightily used of God in such gatherings, far though they are from me.

In my immediate vicinity I have attended church after church where, instead of anointed worship, there is worldly music and hype, and instead of powerful, soul winning preaching there is feel good, motivational speaking. And this is largely the norm across the western world. If you have something more like what I mentioned earlier, you are greatly blessed.

I go to a local fellowship where the Word is preached, but there is a lot of personal opinion and joking thrown in. "A little leaven leaveneth the lump." At least I can hear some fine preaching online.

So I go out of duty.

"In my immediate vicinity I have attended church after church where, instead of anointed worship, there is worldly music and hype, and instead of powerful, soul winning preaching there is feel good, motivational speaking.”

Brother, why not seek out a few saints that are hungry and thirsty for God to have fellowship with, pray with, and share the Word with?